WA, SA residents to receive free flu vaccines in June as Australia records 30 new COVID-19 deaths

SA Premier Peter Malinauskas said his state’s program was expected to cost $4.9 million.

“The dual challenge of broad community spread of COVID-19 and influenza at the same time during winter threatens to put further pressure on a hospital system already facing significant demand,” Mr Malinauskas said in a statement on Sunday.

“We must do everything we can to ensure as many South Australians as possible are immunised against both COVID and influenza to ease pressure on our hospitals.”

There have been 1,195 confirmed cases of influenza in SA this year, compared with 12 cases for the same period last year.

WA has had 194 flu cases in 2022, with only about 20 per cent of West Australians receiving their flu jab so far this year.

“After two years of very low flu cases, I would urge all Western Australians to roll up to protect themselves now before the worst of winter,” WA Premier Mark McGowan said in a statement.

It comes after Queensland made influenza vaccines free to all people aged six months and over.

In NSW they’ll be free of charge via GPs and pharmacists for those five years and above during June while Victoria is considering a similar arrangement and other states and territories are likely to follow.

NSW Pharmacy Guild president David Heffernan said on Sunday the state’s decision to go ahead with the program underlined its commitment to protecting residents in what is emerging as a very severe flu season.

“Harnessing the vaccinating capacity of community pharmacists is crucial to tackling all avoidable hospitalisations,” he said.

COVID-19 deaths are again on the rise with Australia recording 88 fatalities over the weekend.

Victoria reported more than 7,300 new virus cases and 16 deaths on Sunday, NSW more than 6,500 infections and four fatalities.

There were 3,047 cases in Queensland and two deaths, 7,100 infections and seven deaths in Western Australia and one death in Tasmania.

This follows the nation having reported 58 deaths in total on Saturday along with almost 34,000 cases.

Australia’s active virus caseload is almost 305,000, with more than 2,700 patients recovering in hospitals.

Meanwhile, one of Australia’s leading charities warns the effect of COVID-19 on children’s education is not over.

A survey from the Smith Family has found one in two parents and carers feel the pandemic is still making learning difficult for their children.

Roughly three-quarters of parents and carers worry about their children’s future schoolwork and have struggled to help them during the pandemic.

Two-thirds say the virus has made it hard to start school this year.

The report comes as the charity kicks off its latest winter appeal, hoping to raise $5.4 million nationally to support 12,000 students through mentoring and after-school programs.